The Chuckanut 50K is a mountain ultra with technical terrain. The lollipop course starts and finishes with a 10K on the Interurban Trail with smooth running to start and finish. The middle 30k is what this race is known for as you get to climb (5,000ft), traverse and descend the …
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The Chuckanut 50K is a mountain ultra with technical terrain. The lollipop course starts and finishes with a 10K on the Interurban Trail with smooth running to start and finish. The middle 30k is what this race is known for as you get to climb (5,000ft), traverse and descend the famous Chuckanut Mountain Ridge amongst beautiful Pacific Northwest terrain.
In 1993, Doug McKeever and Richard West invited their ultrarunning friends to join them on a favorite training run around Chuckanut Mountain, south of Bellingham. Twenty or so people participated that first year and the feedback was sufficiently positive that the run has continued and grown into an annual ‘fun run.’ The original course was about 33 miles and had sections of highway and some private property. They settled on a 50 km (31.1 mile) route in 1995. In 2002 Doug and Richard decided that they would like to pass on the race directing responsibilities after putting on 10 very successful Chuckanut Mountain 50 km trail runs. Krissy decided to ensure the future of the Chuckanut 50 km as it was her first ultra experience in 2000. After a few years of threatening to change the course Krissy committed to the current course as a dedication to her friend Dave Terry who passed fall of 2009.
Chuckanut Mountain is just south of Bellingham, Washington, where the foothills of the Cascades meet the salt water.
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Community supported race experience
This year was my third attempt. My first was in 2017 with a hard fall on the ridge. Last year the mud and cold really got in my head. This … MORE
This year was my third attempt. My first was in 2017 with a hard fall on the ridge. Last year the mud and cold really got in my head. This year I came in under trained and got to spend time with the sweeps. This course is technical, breathtaking, and has something for every runner. The out and back on the interurban is either a fast, flat stretch for your legs or a total mindf*ck that drags on for an eternity. The climbs up Cleator Road, Fragrance Lake Trail, Lost Lake Trail, and Chinscrapper can be triumphant or make you question all your life choices. My absolute favorite is the decent on Two Dollar Trail coming into aid station 2. The volunteer’s cheers can be heard from the top and the cruisey single track switch backs are fast and fun. I love how the Bellingham running community rallies around this race, the mix of joyful volunteers, challenging terrain, and unpredictable weather makes each year a unique experience. The addition of the kid’s race in recent years and the option for onsite child care this year makes this a truly amazing race. And hugs from the race director at the finish line cannot be beat.
Race organization great
Race organizers rock and Krissy Moehl brings in great sponsors- course is lollipop with good mix of flat/fast and some tough technical sections MORE
Race organizers rock and Krissy Moehl brings in great sponsors- course is lollipop with good mix of flat/fast and some tough technical sections
Tough 50K for first-timer
The good: This race starts in Fairhaven/Bellingham, which is a beautiful location with some good brewery options for a post-race meal. Parking was easy and spacious. The first 10K (which … MORE
The good: This race starts in Fairhaven/Bellingham, which is a beautiful location with some good brewery options for a post-race meal. Parking was easy and spacious. The first 10K (which is the same as the last 10K) was relatively easy and it was nice to get a preview of the finish. The remaining 30k going up and down Chuckanut mountain is tough but scenic, and includes the famous ridge trail that is both fun and technical. The weather, which is typically bad according to veterans of this course, was perfect, with temps in the low- to mid-50s and no rain. And while a lack of training made this race particularly brutal for me, there were a number of other factors that left me feeling underwhelmed with this race. The aid stations seemed few and far between (although I was thrilled that they reduce waste by eliminating paper cups). I only saw one photographer- at the top of a section called ‘chin scraper’, where you basically crawl your way toward the camera. There is absolutely no swag from this race (unless you purchased a shirt… does that even qualify as swag if you buy it?). And I don’t typically care about medals (all of mine are in a shoebox or mixed in with the kids’ toys), but after finishing my first 50K, I really would have enjoyed getting something at the finish line, even if just a high-five or simply a photo of me finishing. I suppose if you are avid ultra runner, then you will probably enjoy the minimalist aspects of this race production. This was the first race I’ve done where I was completely underwhelmed at the finish.